Sprayers

ABSTRACT

A sprayer comprising a body, a tube mounted transversely across the body, the tube having a transverse slot, the supply passages to opposite ends of the tube respectively, a common inlet communicating with the supply passages and a further pair of passages between the supply passages and opposite sides of the inlet respectively.

I United States Patent 3,552,656

[72] Inventor Robert Thomas John Skinner References Cited Kenilworth. England UNITED STATES PATENTS [21 1 App]. No. 770,007 3,447 757 6/1969 Place et al. 239/597 22 Filed d i 13? FOREIGN PATENTS I 1 Pawn? 1 1 029 521 5/1966 0 d reat Britain 239/601 [731 Assgnec 27252523 222E23 e 1,104,277 2/1968 Great Britain 239/597 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Attorney-Holman, Glascock, Downing & Seebold 1541 SPRAYERS 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Fi ABSTRACT: A sprayer comprising a body, a tube mounted 239/4193 transversely across the body, the tube having a transverse slot, [52] [1.8. CI 97 239/60; the Supply passages to opposite ends of the tube re Spe 61y, a F23d 11/16 common inlet communicating with the supply passages and a 239/597 further p of p g between {he pp y p g and p 1e 0 ar posite sides of the inlet respectively.

PATENTED JAN 5 I97! SHEET 3 BF 3 ATONEYS SPRAYERS This invention relates to sprayers particularly though not exclusively for spraying liquid fuel into gas turbine engines, and of the kind in which liquidto be sprayed is delivered through opposite ends of a tube in which, intermediate the ends, a transverse slot is provided for emission of the liquid.

The object of the invention is to provide a sprayer of the kind referred to in a convenient and effective form.

A sprayer of the kind specified according to the present invention is characterized in that the ends of the tube communicate with respective supply passages in a body, the body having an inlet passage common to the two supply passages, and the body having two further passages affording communication between the supply passages and opposite sides of the inlet passage respectively, the position of the communication of the further passages with the inlet passage being adjacent to, but upstream of the junction between the supply passages and the inlet passage.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are respective side .elevation and plan views of a sprayer constructed in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view,

The sprayer illustrated is intended for use for supplying liquid fuel to a gas turbine engine and produces a finely atmoized substantially flat fan-shaped spray of fuel for combustion, this being particularly suitable during starting conditions in the engine. l

The sprayer comprises a body 8 which is secured by means of a threaded sleeve 9 to a further part 10. The part 10 has a pair of fuel and air inlet drillings ll, 12 communicating with external pipes l3, l4 and there is defined between the parts 8, 9 and 10 a plurality of spaces 15 defined between teeth on the parts 8 and 10. The passage 12 communicates with these spaces.

The body 8 has a transverse slot 16. at its end remote from the part 10. Extending across the slot 16 is a short length of small bore tube 17 which is conveniently made from fine metal tubing. Intermediate its ends the tube 17 is provided with a transverse slot 18 and the ends of the tube 17 communicate with respective chambers 19 defined within the body 8. Cover plates 20 are also provided to form walls of the chambers 19 respectively.

Communicating with the chambers 19 are respectively supply passages 21, in the body 8, and these communicate with a short inlet passage 22 to which fuel to be sprayed is supplied through the fuel inlet drilling 11 in the part 10.

The body 8 also has two further passages 23 which are smaller than the supply passages 21 to the chambers 19. There is thus a greater resistance to flow of fuel through these.

The passages 23 communicate with the passages 21 respectively at positions near, but upstream of the chambers 19, and at their other end the passages 23 communicate with the inlet passage 22 at opposite sides thereof respectively and at a position adjacent to, but upstream of the junction between the passages 21 and the inlet passage 22. I

Fuel supplied through the fuel inlet drilling 11 to the inlet passage 22 will flow along one of the passages 21. in preference to the other, this being the result of boundary layer attraction between the liquid and the wall ofthe inlct passage. The flow of fuel along one of the passages 21 will result in the corresponding passage 23 being pressurized and there will be -a delay occasioned by the resistance to flow offered by the Fuel flowing along the supply passages 21 will enter the.

chambers 19 respectively and will flow from opposite ends along the tube 17 and will be discharged through the slot 18 therein. Since the change over of flow from one side to the other will be relatively rapid, there'will, at any instant, be a 1 head or column of fuel in that end of the tube 17 which is not being supplied with fuel from its associated supply passage 2 I, so that fuel in the other end of the tube 17 will im'pinge against this and will be ejected through the slot 18 as finely atomized spray.

The pattern of the spray will be generally of fan shape but the direction of emission changes during operation.

The air delivered through the passage 12 flows through the spaces 15 and enters a passage 24 in the body 8. This passage 24 meets a passage 25 also in the body 8. which extends behind the tube 17 to permit discharge of the air from this point. The addition of air tends to improve atomization of the fuel.

I claim: j

1. A sprayer comprising a body, a tube mounted in the body and extending transversely of its length, a transverse slot formed in the tube intermediate its ends, respective supply passages in the body communicating with opposite endsof the tube respectively, the body having asingle inlet passage communicating with one end of each of the two supply passages. and the body having two further passagesaffording communication between the supply passages, intermediate their ends, and opposite sides of the inlet passage respectively, the position of communication of the further passages with the inlet passage being adjacent to, but upstream of the junction between the supply passages and the inlet.

2. A sprayer as claimed in claim l in which the supply passages terminate in chambers respectively, the tube ends extending into these respectively and the further passages communicating with the chambers respectively.

3. A sprayer as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2 in which the body also has an air supply passage whereby air can reach a region of the tube behind the slot therein. 

1. A sprayer comprising a body, a tube mounted in the body and extending transversely of its length, a transverse slot formed in the tube intermediate its ends, respective supply passages in the body communicating with opposite ends of the tube respectively, the body having a single inlet passage communicating with one end of each of the two supply passages, and the body having two further passages affording communication between the supply passages, intermediate their ends, and opposite sides of the inlet passage respectively, the position of communication of the further passages with the inlet passage being adjacent to, but upstream of the junction between the supply passages and the inlet.
 2. A sprayer as claimed in claim 1 in which the supply passages terminate in chambers respectively, the tube ends extending into these respectively and the further passages communicating with the chambers respectively.
 3. A sprayer as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2 in which the body also has an air supply passage whereby air can reach a region of the tube behind the slot therein. 